The Marmot’s Hole

If you ever make it down towards the Jeonju-Gimje area, one of the places you’ll definitely want to visit is Geumsan-sa Temple, one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in the Honam region and a literal treasure trove of Korean cultural properties.

A quick search of the Cultural Heritage Administration database reveals that Geumsan-sa is home to one National Treasure (gukbo) and ten Treasures (bomul).

Unfortunately, due to time, I didn’t photograph as much as I probably should have, but I did get some decent shots of the Mireukjeon Hall, one of Korea’s most impressive pieces of Buddhist architecture.

Most of the temple’s records were burned during the Imjin War, so it’s not entirely certain when it was first built. It’s believed, however, that the temple was founded in the first year of the devoutly Buddhist King Beop of Baekje, or 599 AD. Fom 762 to 766, Precept Master Jinpyo — who was apparently on a first-name basis with the Maitreya Buddha — greatly expanded the temple into a major monastery.

History has not been entirely kind to the monastery. In 1598, during the Imjin War, Japanese troops gave the place a thorough torching. A major reconstruction was carried out in 1635 — most of the temple’s historically important buildings, including the Mireukjeon Hall, date from this reconstruction. Repairs and expansions were carried out during Emperor Gojong’s reign and again in 1934, but in 1986, a major fire destroyed the Daejeolwangjeon Hall, which had been designated a Treasure by the government. The burnt structure was rebuilt in 1994 while the Venerable Woljoo, the former head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, was running the show down there as abbot.

Mireukjeon Hall

The centerpiece of Geumsan-sa is the Mireukjeon Hall.

Designated National Treasure No. 62, this massive structure is the only remaining three-story traditional structure in Korea. The building was constructed to house an equally massive gilded statue of the Maitreya Buddha; it’s roof is so heavy that each floor requires separate support pillars. The current hall dates from the 1635 reconstruction, although it has been repaired several time since then.

It’s an absolutely awe-inspiring building — I’ll let the photos do the talking:

Each floor, coincidentally, has its own name, as you can see from the signboards below (I really like this photo, BTW):

The first floor is the Daejabojeon (”Great Compassion Hall”), the second is the Yonghwajihoe (”Dragon Flower Meeting”) and the third is the Mireukjeon (”Maitreya Hall”).

The Goryeo-era stone lantern, too, has been designated Treasure No. 828.

The wall murals on the side are quite weathered, but I’ll take a weathered building with character over a new, brightly painted one any day:

Not all the exterior artwork is so nice, however:

Graffiti like this covers the entire left side of the building. Who the hell would deface a National Treasure like this, I have no idea. But there are apparently many.

Inside the Main Hall — where you normally aren’t allowed to photograph — stands the biggest indoor Buddha in Korea, a 11.82-meter tall gilded statue of the Maitreya Buddha crafted in 1938. The Buddha is flanked by two bodhisattva, one of which is now undergoing repairs.

This photo should give you a better idea of just how big the Buddha and its home is — at 20 meters high, the Mireukjeon Hall is like a Buddhist cathedral:

The supporting pillars are made from several logs put together.

Daejeokgwangjeon Hall

The Daejeokgwangjeon Hall, which houses five Buddhas (of which the Vairocana Buddha gets pride of place in the middle) and six bodhisattva, used to be a designated Treasure before it burnt down in a fire in 1986.

The cause of the fire was never officially learned, although many suspect it was the work of Christians — from Korean Buddhism scholar Frank Tedesco:

Several days before the annual Buddha’s Enlightenment celebrations, the Taejôkkwangjôn, the main Dharma Hall, a large building of ancient origin at Kûmsansa Temple is completely burned to the ground in an event which makes top news throughout the nation. The Hall is listed as National Treasure Number 476, and is the central hall in a temple which is a regional headquarters and major monastic training center for the Chogye Order. A man active in a local church is apprehended at the scene, but is released because the police claim that, since the fire consumed everything, there is “no evidence.” Although he admitted to the crime, he is released without being charged. Discounting widespread opinion and belief, local police claim that “religious heretics” are not suspected. However, in an unprecedented move, the Korean government pays to have the building quickly rebuilt. It is widely believed that this unusual action was undertaken to preempt the possibility of interreligious strife.

Dr. Tedesco has a couple of pieces up about “Buddhism under siege” in Korea at his website.

Here’s the interior of the reconstructed building:

Must have been quite a sight prior to the torching.

Daejangjeon Hall

This funky building, the Daejangjeon Hall, used to be a wood pagoda before it was turned into a hall to house a Buddha image. The stone thingie on the roof — the old finial from the hall’s pagoda days — hints at the structure’s pedigree.

Fear not — with the doors open, that electric fan poses no threat whatsoever to the Sakyamuni Buddha inside.

Notice the fine craftsmanship on the altar.

Random Shots

Actually, both the pagoda and the stone steps — both of which date from the Goryeo era — are designated Treasures.

And to finish up, a little Korean Buddhism history:

Most of you probably already know this tale, but it case you don’t, it’s from the life of the Venerable Wonhyo, the renowned Silla monk:

[Wonhyo] tried to go to Tang China two times. First, he crossed the Amnokgang River at the age of 33 with his dharma friend, Venerable Uisang. The trip was a failure and he had to return. The next time he left for Dangjugye, which was in the territory of Baekje, in order to reach Tang through the sea route with Uisang. When he arrived at the harbor, it was already dark and windy, so he stayed in a cave which had been hewn out of the earth for one night. When he awoke he realized that place was not a cave, but an old graveyard. Yet, as the heavy rain had not stopped, he had to stay one more night. That night he could not sleep well because he knew that he was staying in an ancient graveyard and this led to the realization that “all phenomena arise when the mind arises and when the mind is absent, the cave and the graveyard were not two; there was no sense of duality.” This sudden realization gave rise to a profound understanding of the world. Wonhyo said, “The three worlds are only mind, and all phenomena arise from the mind, consciousness. If the truth is present in the mind, how could it be found outside of the mind! I won’t go to Tang.” Then he once again returned to Silla.

There is a dramatic story which was added to these events later. It is often said that Wonhyo drank water from a skull when he awoke during the night desperately thirsty. In the darkness, he found a container with water in it and gratefully drank it. The next morning he found that the water he drank was filthy rainwater which had collected in the skull. This experience became the base of his realization that “there is nothing clean and nothing dirty; all things are made by mind.” The fact that all phenomena arise from the mind is a truth which he clearly understood. He knew that the mind exists in all human beings and so he decided not to go to Tang China and to return home. This is a well-known Korean Buddhist legend.

The official homepage (Korean and English) of Geumsan-sa can be found here.

Don’t forget the Flickr slideshow.